Loved Me Back to Life
by GendryandAryabelongtogether
Summary: Based on the song Loved Me Back to Life by Sia. When the last straw breaks the camel's back for Arya, she has nothing left to lose...except her life. After an attempted suicide, she is sent to King's Landing Home for Angry and Troubled Teens and there meets Counsellor Gendry Waters, who may just be her saving grace.
1. Welcome to My Life

**A/N: Okay, so Living in King's Landing is still being written, and I'm working on the sequel to Let's Not Go There, but this PLOT BUNNY IS NOT LEAVING ME ALONE AND IT IS SCREWING MY WRITING UP so here is yet another Gendry/Arya story. **

**Disclaimer: I own this plot, but no recognisable characters or the ASOIAF series. Those go to George R.R. Martin and to Dan Weiss and David Benioff for the HBO series.**

**Warnings:**

**This fic contains substance use and abuse, attempted suicide, suicidal thoughts, self harm, sex with a minor, domestic abuse, verbal abuse, bullying and mental illness. It is in a different universe to my other fics. **

**Chapter One: Welcome to My Life:**

Arya Stark groaned as her alarm clock buzzed at six thirty on Monday morning. She felt the now-familiar weight settle in her chest as she fought the urge to lie in bed all day and avoid contact with everyone she knew. After what seemed an age, but was in reality a few seconds, Arya crawled out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror and felt her usual loathing towards herself as she undressed for the shower, trying to force her mind to stay away from thoughts of _them_.

As the hot water scalded Arya's skin, she woke up fully and contemplated what her day at school would be like. _Probably no different to what it usually is, _she thought, _bleak, dull and full of fuckwits. _Arya washed her hair and soaped her body up, her heart panging at the sight of her scars on her arms, stomach and thighs.

Arya swore that when she started being bullied at the age of eleven by the very same people who bullied her now that she wouldn't let their words get to her. Joffrey Baratheon, Mykaela Frey, Elmar Frey, Verity Lannister (a third-cousin once removed of Joffrey) and even to an extent her sister Sansa and Sansa's best friends Jeyne Poole and Margaery Tyrell had started out by ridiculing her for her rebellious haircut at the age of eleven – a short cut that in hindsight looked absolutely horrible and made her look like a boy, but the bullying had grown more intense as the years passed on. Arya surmised that they had simply enjoyed tormenting her.

Arya was sick of constantly looking over her shoulder at school, wondering when she was going to have sauce thrown onto her uniform, wondering when someone was going to trip and ruin her schoolbooks, wondering when she would be humiliated in other ways that she hoped her sister's group would never think of…

Arya shuddered as she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower to dry herself before dressing in her Riverrun Private School uniform – a royal blue pleated skirt, black tights and shoes, a white blouse with a royal blue blazer and matching necktie, all with the seven-pointed star of the Seven embedded into it.

Arya had never wanted to go to Riverrun Private School – she didn't believe in the Seven, but much rather preferred the Old Gods like her father. She had wanted to go to Winterfell Private School, but the children's education was something that Catelyn had put her foot down on and, seeing as she was a previous student at Riverrun Private School, she felt it would be the best place to straighten her unruly, wild daughter out.

Arya ran a brush through her hair and frowned at her reflection – pale, with dark shadows under her eyes, colourless, bland and not at all like her beautiful mother and sister. Arya knew she was jealous of Sansa for her fiery auburn curtain of straight hair and beautiful sky blue eyes, but her pride would never let her admit it. Arya truly didn't find anything about herself that she liked – where Sansa's face was heart-shaped, hers was long and solemn, where Sansa had gorgeous straight hair, Arya's was a dull dark brown and wavy, where Sansa had gorgeous blue eyes, Arya had boring dark grey eyes, where Sansa had a healthy weight-height ratio, Arya was tall, skinny and looked in desperate need of feeding and where Sansa was talented at almost everything she tried, Arya had to work thrice as hard to get decent grades. She felt that all the good gifts had gone to Sansa and Arya was left with the leftovers.

These dark thoughts penetrated Arya's mind and her hands shook as she fought against grabbing a razor from the drawer and running the blade along her skin, feeling her stress leave her as she focused on the satisfying burn that followed slicing her skin.

Taking deep breaths, Arya stared for a moment longer before losing it; her mind went blank as tears spilled from her eyes and she grabbed the razor and unbuttoned her blouse, slicing her skin over the scars that had recently healed. She gasped as the razor hit her skin…_You deserve this, you're weak and good for nothing, you're jealous of your sister and for good reason…what do you have compared to her…_these thoughts slowly left her as she continued cutting into her flesh until her head cleared. She washed the razor in the basin and put it back in the drawer before using toilet tissue to clean the blood on her abdomen.

Arya closed her eyes at the burn that followed her session and she flushed the toilet tissue before doing up her blouse again and heading downstairs to get some breakfast.

"Joffrey and I have been going out for a month now," was the first thing Arya heard when she went downstairs. She rolled her eyes and helped herself to cereal, forcing herself to eat though it tasted like cardboard in her mouth. She knew that if she skipped breakfast, her mother would instantly be on her like a hawk and while Arya loved how caring Catelyn Stark was, she was not in the mood for overbearing-mother mode. Swallowing her food, Arya smirked at Sansa.

"Opened your legs for him yet?" she asked.

"Arya," Catelyn gasped.

"I've lived here for sixteen years and you're still not used to me?"Arya asked Catelyn. Sansa glowered at Arya.

"Just because no boy would ever look twice at you it doesn't mean you have to express your jealousy in such a manner," she snapped and Arya was stung. Sure, she enjoyed ridiculing Sansa for her embarrassing crush on Joffrey, but she had feelings too and she had liked people in the past.

"Just because I'm not a total slut it doesn't mean I haven't been noticed," she shot back and Sansa's eyes flashed angrily.

"I'm not a slut," she spat. "At least I'm not an ugly little bitch." Arya felt her stomach sink – while she didn't care what she looked like when she was a young girl, she did care what she looked like now and for her own sister to call her ugly…

"Girls!" Catelyn snapped. "Clear the table and get to school, and I'll hear no more of this ridiculous fighting, You're sisters; you should be closer than you are." Arya and Sansa silently cleared the table and left as Bran and Rickon came downstairs. Arya envied them their nine o'clock starts – she and Sansa had to be at Riverrun by eight thirty.

Arya put on her leather jacket and pants and put her helmet on before getting onto her motorbike which she had fondly named Needle – the only thing she had from her dead cousin Jon, who had died being betrayed by his fellow soldiers in Sothoryos. Arya kicked the bike to life and outstripped Sansa's Porsche, leaving it in the dust.

As Arya drove the familiar route to Riverrun, she wondered how she and Sansa had grown so distant. Sure, they had never been the closest of siblings, but they did have occasions where they got along splendidly. Arya remembered more than a few incidents where she snuck into Sansa's room with lemon cakes and hot chocolate and they would talk into the night about nothing and everything, but that had all stopped when Sansa befriended the people who had started bullying Arya and defending them and denying that they ever did anything to her, effectively calling her a liar and an attention-seeker.

Ned and Catelyn didn't know about the bullying – Arya felt she was handling it the best she could and she reminded herself that as of next year, the gang would be gone from that school and they would leave her and her friends at peace.

Shireen Baratheon, Willow Heddle, Hot Pie and Lommy Greenhands were Arya's best friends and had been since they each joined the little gang. Each and every one of them were bullied – Shireen had had a large scar on her face from a rare disease she had as a baby and Arya was disgusted that Joffrey, who was Shireen's cousin, gave her grief for it every day.

Willow was at Riverrun on a sport scholarship for track and field and she and Arya had been in a relationship two years previous, something Mykaela Frey found out about when she caught them kissing behind the school one day and the next thing they both knew, they were being made fun of for being lesbians. Arya clenched her jaw furiously – she and Willow couldn't help being bisexual and having feelings for each other.

Hot Pie had been chosen for a baking scholarship when he was and his family owned the Hot Pie baking business. According to Hot Pie, his mother had been high when she named him and therefore his full name was Hot Apple Pie, something he was given grief for – that and the fact that he was a scholarship student and overweight.

Lommy Greenhands had an art scholarship and was therefore judged as a pansy and not a proper man by – surprise, surprise – Joffrey. His work was amazing and he wanted to pursue his career in King's Landing, but he had low self-esteem due to the bullying.

Arya pulled into the school and shut off her motorbike and took off her gear. She headed to the cafeteria where she knew her friends would be and braced herself for another day in this deep pit of the Seven Hells.

"You okay?" Shireen asked softly as soon as Arya sat down. Being best friends since their first day as primary school students, Shireen knew Arya better than anyone, so of course she picked up on Arya's mood straight away.

"Just sick of everything," she said quietly, not noticing her friends sharing a worried look. "Sansa and Joffrey have been together for a month and she was…"

"Being her usual self?" Lommy suggested and Arya forced a smile.

"Pretty much," she said. "Anyway…it's just hard to deal with them when I constantly live with one of them at home. Never mind that Jeyne is there practically every day and soon Joffrey will be too if he has his way…"

"You can always crash at one of our houses," Shireen said kindly. "Dad likes you even if he doesn't show it."

"Thanks," Arya said with a small, but genuine smile. The bell rang for class and they all stood and went their separate ways – Hot Pie and Lommy to History, Willow to English, Shireen to Biology and Arya to advanced maths.

If there was one thing Arya prided herself on, it was that she was brilliant at maths. She remembered many a time where she helped her father with calculations for his business and she loved the challenge that the advanced maths class gave her.

After class in which everyone completed the Linear Equations chapter, Arya headed to art which was definitely her worst subject. She was too impatient for painting and she didn't have the eye for the detailed.

After art, Arya headed to Literature and everyone in the class had their snack as they copied notes from the board for the text on Visenya Targaryen and were assigned their assignment – the Dragons helped shape Westeros into what it is today – discuss. The essay was to be five thousand words which was difficult but possible.

Arya headed to lunch and sat with Shireen, Lommy, Hot Pie and Willow and found it odd that only Sansa, Jeyne and Margaery were sitting at their usual table. Brows furrowing in confusion, Arya looked at her friends and saw they had noticed the same thing.

"Where're the dickheads?" Willow asked through a mouthful of chicken and salad roll. Arya shrugged and stood, taking her rubbish to the bin and walking back. She stopped short at the three familiar figures around the familiar motorbike and, horrified, she left at a run, Willow, Shireen, Lommy and Hot Pie following and she saw what had happened.

It took a moment for Arya to register that the scream that could be heard was coming from her mouth and she ran forwards to inspect the damages done to her bike. The paint was completely scratched off and it had been set alight – nothing would salvage it, of that she was sure.

Arya felt her entire world crumble as the only thing she had of her favourite person in the world was now ruined and she felt that now that there wasn't anything tying her to Jon, there was nothing worth living for. Perhaps if there was an afterlife of some sort, Jon would welcome her with open arms, mess her hair and call her 'little sister' like he used to…when he hadn't been betrayed by those people he called brothers, when he hadn't run off to war and when she hadn't watched his casket be buried in the crypts underneath the ancient manor house her family resided in. Arya silently held her hand out and, sensing what she wanted, Shireen dropped her car keys into her hand. Arya went to Shireen's Mini Cooper and drove, not stopping until she got home to Winterfell.

Arya lost the fight against Joffrey, Elmar and Mykaela…they won. They weren't going to hear from her again; no one would ever hear from her again, she'd make sure of it. Walking to the bathroom she was in that morning – was it only that morning – she took out what she had bought off her dealer a year ago and deduced there was enough. Arya took the pills, not knowing what they were called, only knowing they made her forget about everything that ever brought her down…

Arya crumpled to the floor as everything went black.

**A/N: Arya is MAJORLY depressed in this, so I'm sorry if it's out of character, which it totally is. Yes, Jon is dead in this story, sort of like how he 'died' at the Wall but he was shot instead of stabbed. Arya is bullied every day by Sansa, Jeyne, Margaery, Mykaela Frey (an OC), Elmar Frey and Joffrey, though Sansa, Jeyne and Margaery pull back and keep it tame. Why has she not told anyone, you ask? Simple. She's too proud, considers herself too strong to have help from adults. She's fiercely independent and that includes not telling her parents about the bullying (though you shouldn't think they're as clueless as they let on).  
>Yes, Arya attempted suicide after losing the one thing that held her together – Jon's motorbike. It kills me that he has to be dead but it's necessary for her character and a major reason as to why she is as depressed as she is – the bullying simply enhances her anger, grief and sadness.<strong>

**Anyway, enough of that. Tell me what you think by pressing the blue button that says "Review" – you know you can't miss it ;) **

**Until next time!**


	2. Untitled

**A/N: I've posted this on AO3 and got some positive feedback, so here is the second chapter while I'm in the swing of things. **

_Beep….Beep…Beep…_

Arya's eyes fluttered open and she found herself in a blinding white room on a hard, uncomfortable bed. She felt disoriented and groggy and tried to push herself up to a sitting position so she could see where exactly she was.

It looked like a hospital room and her heart leaped as she saw a tall, brown haired man – Jon! Arya decided that if this is what death is like, then she should have done it sooner instead of suffering and being a burden on everyone in her existence.

She must have made a noise because the man turned and after a moment, Arya realised she wasn't looking at Jon, but at her father.

"Arya!" he exclaimed, moving forward. "Little Wolf…why?" Arya's brows furrowed and she avoided Ned's eyes, furiously blinking away her tears. "Arya, please…" Arya's heart broke as her father's voice trembled and cracked as he tried to hold his emotions in. She still refused to answer so Ned sighed and kissed her head before leaving the room.

_I've lost the only person who let me be me, _she thought. _I lost him all over again when our bike was destroyed by the cunts my sister calls friends. I've lost everything that matters. _

Arya felt her tears fall as she realised she had been found out by her family – she would never be looked at in the same way again. Why hadn't the pills worked? Jaqen H'Ghar had told her that if she wanted to end her life, all she had to do was take…Arya choked back a sob. She had taken eight pills and the dose that guaranteed death was twelve. She hadn't taken enough and now she would be labelled as insane, depressed, crazy, fragile and broken for the rest of her life. There was just no way that her family would ever recover from this.

Arya looked at the door when it opened and her mother and father walked inside. "Arya," Catelyn whispered, running to the bedside and touching her face, hair, arms, everywhere she could reach. "Why? What were you thinking?" Arya ripped her arms from her mother's hold, feeling an irrational anger mount inside her.

"You sent him away!" she shouted standing up and unplugging the needles imbedded in her arm. Catelyn took a step back, stunned. "You're the reason he's dead! You hated him all because he was dad's son and not yours! You murdered him! His blood is on your hands! How dare you call yourself a mother when the boy you raised was driven away because you were jealous of some other woman you selfish bitch!"

"Arya!" Ned said sharply and Arya backed away from him. "Apologise to your mother this instant! I'm not going to pretend to know what's driven you to this…to this state of mind, but taking it out on her is childish and wrong."

"She-" the door slammed and Arya saw through the window that her mother was walking briskly down the corridor.

"It was my fault, not hers," Ned said quietly, though anger was burning underneath. "I cheated on your mother and every day I thank the gods she stayed with me and opened her arms up to Jon the best way she could. I gave her the option – I would have taken Jon to your uncle Benjen, but your mother told me she wouldn't be that cruel as to have my son grow up with another man right under my nose. Jon always looked up to your uncle and it was for that reason and that reason only that he decided to join the army. Your mother had nothing to do with it." Arya looked down and fought the shame and self-disgust that filled her body, allowing Ned to gently guide her back into bed. "Tell me why you did this."

Arya wished he had shouted. Anger was infinitely better than disappointment and hurt and Arya couldn't deal with the fact that she had hurt her father. Taking a shaky breath, she focused on the blankets as she began to tell the truth for the first time in five years.

"When I had that terrible haircut when I was eleven, Joffrey Baratheon, Mykaela Frey, Verity Lannister, Elmar Frey, Margaery, Jeyne and Sansa started bullying me," she whispered. "I vowed to myself that I wouldn't let their words get to me – I was stronger than that. I could take their verbal assaults. After three years…Willow and I were in a relationship and we didn't want to tell anyone because we didn't want to make it awkward and Mykaela Frey caught us kissing behind the school and she spread rumours about us. The bullying intensified; along with being called a boy and ugly, I was being called a pussy-licker and Willow was as well and they started making…making noises whenever we walked into the cafeteria. I had to watch where I was going all the time, because someone would always stain my uniform or ruin my notes or make it look like I was on my period…generally everyday pranks."

"Why didn't you come to one of us?" Ned asked quietly. "We would have helped you." Arya choked back a sob.

"I was too proud," she said thickly. "I thought things would only get worse if I became a tattle-tail and I thought I was handling it…"

"By taking drugs and self-harming?" Ned asked incredulously. "Arya, that's not healthy. Is this why you've lost a lot of weight over the past year?"

"Things got really bad when Jon died," Arya said, her voice still thick with tears. "I was being taunted and Joffrey was spreading rumours that I was in love with him when I wasn't and then when they destroyed my bike…the last thing Jon ever left me…" She lost it as she buried her head in her hands. Ned held her arm and left her to it.

Everyone in the family as well as some close friends of the family had been in to visit Arya – everyone, that is, except Sansa. Arya was furious at her sister – not only does her boyfriend cause her to attempt to end her life, but she doesn't even have the decency to visit her in hospital. Arya knew that she would have sided with Joffrey, that it was an accident and that he hadn't meant to destroy the bike, only tamper with it a little. She had been in the hospital for eight days; three of those days she was unconscious as the drugs were taken out of her system. She could see the hushed whispers and pitying looks her family members gave her and she was sick of them.

It was on the tenth day that Arya's parents and the Maester, Luwin, entered on their own. "We need to talk," Ned said quietly. Arya listened impassively, beyond caring about anything anymore. Catelyn stayed back and Arya pointedly ignored her.

"Arya," Maester Luwin said kindly. "We have reason to believe you have severe depression." Arya snorted sarcastically.

"Wonder what gave you that idea?" she scoffed.

"Arya," Ned said warningly and Arya grudgingly fell silent, dread settling in the pit of her stomach. "Listen to what Maester Luwin has to say." Arya glowered at the wall in response.

"How long have you been self harming?" Luwin asked.

"Don't know," Arya said emotionlessly. "A year, maybe more. It's hard to keep track." Luwin made a note and continued.

"When did you start taking drugs?"

"Around the time I found out about Jon's death," Arya answered. Luwin pursed his lips and looked at Ned and Catelyn, Arya watching from out of the corner of her eye.

"Is there anything we can do?" Ned asked helplessly. "We don't know how to help her, not when she's like this."

"There is a place in King's Landing," Luwin told them. "It's a home for troubled or angry teenagers. I think that would be the best place for your daughter."

"King's Landing," Catelyn whispered. "That's…"

"Three hours away," Ned said heavily. "If it's the only place that could have a chance of making her better then I say we send her there."

"How long do you think she'll have to be there?" Catelyn asked Luwin. Arya bit her lip – it wasn't enough that her bike was destroyed, but now she was being forced to leave her home. She was disconcerted at the amount of numbness she felt, like nothing mattered anymore. The last time she had felt like this, she had swallowed eight pills.

"It depends," Luwin explained. "Some kids are there until the end of school before they move into the adult section of the facility. Some kids are there for a month before they are safe to return home." Arya watched Luwin, Ned and Catelyn walk away and found herself privy to her thoughts.

_No way am I going to let them take my home from me as well, _she thought. _I'm not crazy and I don't need to be sent anywhere! They're doing this because I didn't tell them about the bullying straight away! _

After what seemed a long time, Arya's parents entered the room again and sat on either side of her bed. The looks on their faces told Arya that their minds were made up.

"You're sending me away," she said quietly.

"Arya-"

"I don't need to be sent away to know that I'm not good for anything!" Arya cried. "I'm not crazy-"

"We aren't suggesting you are," Ned said gently. "But you've shaken the entire family Arya. You need to get better and we can't help you because we don't know how."

"Send that slut away," Arya said angrily. "She's the one who's crazy about a jerk who gets off on other people's pain! She's part of the reason I tried to kill myself!" Ned and Catelyn winced and Arya felt a stab of satisfaction.

"Your sister has been given a stern talking to," Catelyn said quietly. "I know everything Arya and Sansa is toeing the line-"

"You always take her fucking side!" Arya snapped. "You have another daughter too you know! I'm not pretty like she is but you don't need to shove me to one side-"

"You are pushing me away," Catelyn said angrily, losing her temper. "You have been pushing me away for years! I've tried everything I can think of to connect with you Arya but you just won't let me in!"

"Maybe I should go then!" Arya shouted. She was sick of feeling this angry, maybe time away from her family would do her some good. "I'd prefer living in a mental home to living with you!" Catelyn stood and, shaking with fury, stormed out. Arya calmed down and realised that Ned was walking away.

"Dad…" she whispered.

"That was the last straw," Ned said quietly. "I will never give up on you Arya, but you need to go. It's for your own safety."

"Daddy-" Arya fell silent as Ned held up his hand.

"You have greatly disappointed me," he told her. Arya looked away and wiped her eyes. "You are going to King's Landing Home for Troubled and Angry Teens and you are going to come back a new person or I am going to send you to live with your Aunt and cousin in the Eyrie. Don't think I won't. The way you have treated your mother is disgusting and I expected better from you. You've been through a lot, but so have we and you need to stop being selfish. It isn't all about you." He left and Arya let her sobs take over her body, knowing she crossed the line this time.

"I wish you were here Jon," she whispered. "You'd know what to do."

Ned and Catelyn arrived home to see Sansa, Robb and Theon in the living room. "How is she?" Robb asked. "Did she take it well?"

"Not at all," Catelyn said quietly. "She has a lot of anger."

"How long do you think she'll be gone?" Theon asked.

"We don't know," Ned said honestly. "We'll be taking her there in a week; after that, we can visit her once a month." He looked at Sansa but she avoided his gaze. He knew that she was ashamed of herself for not visiting Arya once, but she was eighteen years old and he couldn't forbid her from dating Joffrey. "You know my view on this Sansa," he said quietly. "I will force you to come to at least one of the visits. You and she both need closure and after the way you have treated her these last few years, you owe her." Sansa nodded and left and Ned turned to his sons.

"She's not over Jon's death," he told them. "She's held in her grief and anger for so long that she has episodes now."

"We want you to scour her room and the bathroom she uses most," Catelyn told them. "Anything sharp, throw it away. Anything drug-related, throw it away. Anything alcohol related, throw it away. We want none of that when she comes to pack."

"Got it," Robb said. "We'll start tomorrow." The two of them left for their flat and Ned and Catelyn headed to bed.

"I love her and I know why she's taking her anger out on me," Catelyn said to Ned. "I didn't directly drive Jon away, but my coldness toward him did."

"That's no excuse for her behaviour," Ned said. "Jon had decided years before that he wanted to be a soldier, ever since Benjen told him war stories. You didn't drive him away Cat. His mind was made up." Catelyn nodded but the guilt was still eating away at her.

She had never hated Jon, but she had resented him – his existence meant the possibility that her husband had fallen in love with another woman. Catelyn had always felt as though she wasn't enough for Ned, even though he told her otherwise every night. She had grown to care for the boy, but it was too late for them both. Jon resented her too, she knew that and she didn't blame him. She hadn't been the mother he deserved, all because she was too stuck on her pride to open her arms to another woman's son.

Sending Arya to a facility broke Catelyn's heart, but anything that would help her overcome this depression would be worth anything. Catelyn would sell her soul in a heartbeat to have Arya happy again and she felt that this was a step in the right direction to helping Arya heal.

**A/N: So I threw in a generic POV because I wanted you to see Catelyn's side of things. She doesn't hate Jon and she has grown to love him in a way - remember this is a Modern AU so she is technically his stepmother. Arya gets her sense of pride from Catelyn. Catelyn is a woman who would sell her soul to ensure her children's safety and Arya is no exception. Yes, they have barely anything in common, but Catelyn loves her all the same.  
>I hope it was okay – Arya's secrets have come out so quickly that she can't deal with it except by yelling and becoming angry, but just know that this isn't her normal personality. Until next time :D<strong>


	3. No Love

**A/N: So here's chapter three (though not in Arya's POV). I'm backtracking a little to clear a couple of things up. Veridissima pointed out to me that I'm not clear on who Jon is, so I'll explain it here. Jon is Ned's bastard from when he cheated on Catelyn when they were in a relationship. Catelyn broke up with him, but took him back and they married a year later and had Robb the year after that – Jon is 24 and Robb 21. Jon and Gendry are the same age as they tend to be when I decide to go with the Jon-is-Ned's-bastard thing. **

**Thanks to all the reviews, every single one of them puts a smile on my face :D**

_She arrived home from grocery shopping and found it odd that there was a Mini Cooper in the driveway, and after a moment she recognised it as Shireen Baratheon's. She was confused – what was Shireen doing here during school? She got out of the car and took the groceries in, unpacked them and checked on the dogs before coming back inside. _

_An odd sound reached her ears and after a moment, there was nothing. She decided to check out what it was and headed to the second level of the house. All the bedrooms were clear, as was the study and the ensuite, but going to the upstairs bathroom, she opened it and the sight of her daughter crumpled in a heap, a bottle rolling away from her…her entire world shattered as she screamed out in horror-_

Catelyn woke in a heavy sweat as she relived the worst moment of her life – that of finding what she thought was her daughter's body in the bathroom. She started shaking with her sobs as she tried to muffle the sound in her pillow but she knew she had failed in that when she felt Ned wrap his arm around her waist.

"It wasn't your fault," he murmured sleepily. Catelyn wondered how he knew her so well and she turned to him, feeling him wipe away her tears.

"I should have made more of an effort to connect with her," she said quietly. "I should have made sure she was alright-"

"None of us knew what she was going through," Ned assured her. "She put up a perfect façade for years-"

"Her body is covered in scars," Catelyn whispered. "You don't understand Ned…the sight of her on the floor, not responding to anything…I truly thought the worst. I failed-"

"You saved her life," Ned said gently. "Who knows what would have happened if you hadn't been home? The ambulance wouldn't have been called and Arya could have died."

"She's right," Catelyn whispered. "I drove Jon away. I never made him feel welcome and I as good as killed him."

"The men who betrayed him killed him," Ned said quietly but firmly. "He wanted to be soldier for as long as he could remember. He always looked up to Benjen."

"He went sooner than he should have-"

"He was twenty years old," Ned interrupted. "He was an adult and couldn't be stopped. It was his decision to go." Catelyn calmed down and leaned into her husband's embrace.

"Sansa is not to see that boy," she said. "I don't care that she's an adult-"

"Sansa knows our view on Joffrey and I hope it will sway her decision," Ned said. "But Cat-"

"No, Ned," Catelyn said tightly. "She is not seeing him anymore." Ned sighed and nodded.

"Get some more sleep," he murmured. "You need it." Catelyn closed her eyes and let Ned's steady heartbeat lull her to sleep.

_Catelyn arrived home from the hospital, shaken up by the accusations and resentment pouring from Arya's mouth and Ned's word-by-word account as to why Arya ended up in hospital and Ned followed her in. Catelyn saw Sansa sitting on the couch, staring into space and walked over to her and pulled her up._

_Catelyn's hand smacked across Sansa's face, her head turning with the force of the hit. Robb, Bran, Rickon and Theon were stunned – Catelyn and Ned had never physically harmed their children in any way. Ignoring everyone but the girl in front of her, Catelyn let rip._

"_You stupid, idiotic, shallow, girl!" she shouted. "How dare you act concerned for your sister when you're the reason she's in there?" Sansa looked between her and at Ned and Catelyn followed her gaze to see that Ned looked disappointed, though his disappointment was directed at Sansa._

"_Mum, I-"_

"_Don't!" Catelyn exclaimed. "You have bullied your sister – allowed your friends to bully her – for five years! She has self-harmed and she has attempted suicide! What is wrong with you?" _

"_I'm sorry," Sansa whispered._

"_Sorry isn't good enough!" Catelyn said angrily. "Your sister almost died because of you and those people you insist on being friends with!" _

"_Wait, what?" Robb asked. "Sansa?"_

"_It started out as being harmless!" Sansa pleaded. "I pulled back later, but I can't tell them to stop – I'm not the boss of them! I made fun of her haircut but me, Margaery and Jeyne never did anything harsh to her-"_

"_And what of Joffrey?" Ned asked quietly. "What part has he played? What of Mykaela, Elmar and Verity?"_

"_They...Joffrey, Mykaela and Elmar destroyed Arya's motorbike but – but it was an accident!" Sansa said desperately. "They didn't mean for it to go that far – they just wanted to tweak it a little!"_

"_You're siding with them?" Catelyn asked incredulously. "Have we not raised you at all? Family comes first and you have let every member of this family down!" _

"_What you and your friends have led your sister to is beyond words," Ned said quietly, his voice shaky with rage. "I have never been so disappointed in any of my children as I am with you right now. You are eighteen, so I won't force you to end things with Joffrey, but just know that you, he and your friends put your sister in hospital where she is getting through her attempted suicide. I look down on those people who hang around such a sickening group. Get out of our sight." _

"_I-"_

"_I said go!" Ned snapped and Sansa complied hurriedly._

"_Sansa did this?" Robb whispered. "How could she?"_

"_Our focus needs to be on Arya right now," Catelyn told him. "We need to find a way to help her heal from Jon's death and from this depression."_

"_We'll help however we can," Theon said resolutely. _

Sansa was at Joffrey's house with his friends, or bodyguards as she liked to call them, Sandor, Meryn and Boros.

"Is it true your sister almost killed herself?" Boros asked and Sansa bit her lip.

"The stupid bitch said it was our fault, right Babe?" Joffrey drawled.

"Don't talk about her like that," Sansa said before she could stop herself and she felt Joffrey shift.

"What did you say to me?" he asked quietly. Sansa didn't answer and he pushed her off him. Sansa looked at him, wondering what was happening. "Take off your clothes," he ordered.

"What?" Sansa yelped. "No!" Joffrey's eyes narrowed in fury and he beckoned Meryn to him.

"She disobeyed me," he said. "What do we do to those who disobey me?" Meryn smirked and walked up to Sansa before punching her in the stomach. Sansa fell to her knees, winded and gasped for breath. She cried out as Meryn kicked her and she collapsed onto her side before being brought up again, only to be punched again.

"Enough," Joffrey commanded and Meryn stood back. "Sansa, do you know what happens to people who challenge me?" he asked lazily. Sansa was too busy taking in ragged breaths to answer. "Hmm…Boros, see if you can convince her to answer me."

Sansa felt the hit on her back and fell to her knees with a small cry and felt the hard slaps on her back as Boros continued beating her.

"Let's see if she'll answer this time," Joffrey said. "Sansa, do you know what happens to people who challenge me?" Sansa looked at him and nodded. "Good. Get out of my sight."

Sansa went to leave but she was stopped by Joffrey' voice. "Remember, I have…incriminating videos of Margaery and Jeyne, and I know how to drag you and your family through the mud, so I wouldn't tell anyone about these little lessons if I were you. I'll be expecting you to look pretty tomorrow for school." Sansa choked back a sob and left.

Sansa drove around for a while before settling on going home. When she arrived, she shut off the engine and went into the house, used to not being acknowledged by anyone and she went to her room. Her television and DVDs had been taken off her, as well as her favourite books, her laptop and her phone and Sansa felt she deserved her punishment.

Sansa was sickened that she hadn't built up the courage to see Arya in hospital yet…she checked the time and decided on a whim to go see her. She grabbed her coat and car keys and headed downstairs, out of the house and into her car and drove the twenty-minute drive to the hospital.

Sansa found Arya's room and her heart broke – Arya looked to be sleeping with needles piercing her arms. She hesitated before entering and took a seat by Arya's bedside.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, taking Arya's hand and closing her eyes. "You were right about him…I'm so sorry it came to this…"

"Get out of here," Arya snapped, wrenching her hand from Sansa's grasp. "I'm being sent away because of you!"

"Arya, please!" Sansa pleaded and Arya laughed humourlessly.

"It's too late," she said angrily. "You bullied me – let your friends and prick boyfriend bully me – for five years and now you're saying sorry?"

"I-"

"No, you listen to me for once in your useless life!" Arya shouted. "You knew exactly what that bike meant to me – it's the last thing Jon left me before he went and died and your boyfriend and friends destroyed it! They destroyed the one thing tying me here and no amount of saying you're sorry will ever make me forgive you for your stupidity! You don't deserve to be in this family! I'm being sent away when it should be you! You should be sent to live with Aunt Lysa but no, dad threatened me because the golden fucking child can do no fucking wrong! You ruined my life and you caused me to be like this!"

"Arya, please-"

"No!" Arya cried. "You fucking idiot, you don't get it do you? I want nothing more to do with you! You almost cost me my life! I will never forgive you and I will never trust you! If you're at Winterfell when – if – I get back from King's Landing, then I will move out myself because you have destroyed anything we could ever have! Go away, go to your boyfriend or go home, I don't care! Just don't try and talk to me again!" Sansa stood and left, fighting against the urge to cry.

As she drove home, Sansa realised how broken her sister truly was. "What have I done to you?" she whispered. She pulled into Winterfell and headed to her room where she lay on her bed and thought of her encounter with Arya. _She wants nothing to do with me_, she thought, _she will never forgive me. I can't blame her – I don't forgive myself. _

Sansa cried herself to sleep that night, hating her very existence – her boyfriend turned out to be an abusive jerk who blackmailed her into secrecy and staying with him, she and her friends almost caused her little sister to kill herself, she never got the chance to tell Jon she was glad he was her brother and her entire family hated her.

Sansa vowed to herself that she would make everything right, though she had no clue how to start.

**A/N: So I hope I did the talk justice, and while Sansa is still a long way off redemption, she's realised that she's in the wrong. If Arya was OOC, just remember that Sansa helped lead her to attempted suicide so of course she's going to act that way upon seeing her.  
>Catelyn is in a lot of turmoil; I imagine it would be every mother's worst nightmare to see their children in that state.<strong>


	4. Go Your Own Way

**A/N: It's been ages! I'm really sorry that it's been so long since I last updated. Things at home haven't been great and as if my internet wasn't limited enough, I only have my phone during the day now so I can't upload of a night like I used to. **

**I received a very valid message from someone who was concerned about potential ages of kids reading this fic. I would like to point out that this is FANFICTION, that in no way in real life would Gendry be a psychologist (he is a counsellor in this fic) and that his and Arya's relationship in this fic is not to be taken into the real world. This is a work of FICTION and should therefore be read and not acted upon. **

Arya arrived home two weeks after she had been in hospital. Her brothers were waiting in the living room for her and she was engulfed in their combined embrace. She didn't know where Sansa was, nor did she particularly care – all she wanted to do was be alone before she was going to be taken to the mental institution her doctor had suggested.

Arya felt horrible for the way she had been treating her mother – her father was right; Catelyn Stark was not at fault for Jon's death. Arya had been desperate to pin the blame on someone, though she had no clue why. Though Arya was remorseful of her attitude toward Catelyn, she was still fuming about the injustice of having her sent away from her home.

Arya was lying on her back in bed, clutching her stuffed wolf Nymeria to her chest when there was a knock on the door. "Go away," she said emotionlessly.

"It's Robb and Theon," Robb said from the other side of the door. "Please open up Arya." Arya let out a shuddering breath before forcing herself to get out of bed and opening the door. Theon and Robb stepped through and Arya shut the door behind them before resuming her position on the bed.

"What do you want?" she asked quietly. She was avoiding their gazes, not wanting to see the pity and sadness in her older brothers' eyes.

"You know why you have to go to this place, right?" Robb asked softly, sitting next to her. Theon sat on her other side and Arya pursed her lips.

"What I don't understand," she said quietly, "is how they're letting Sansa stay with that bastard or how they're letting her stay here at all. I wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for her and those people she calls friends."

"Sansa knows what she's done," Robb said quietly. "She knows that she has to end things with Joffrey and she knows that we're all furious and disappointed in her. But Arya, we don't know how to help you. We want you to be with the best of the best-"

"You don't know what it's like!" Arya said desperately. "Jon was everything Robb! He was the only one who understood me!"

"Last I checked," Robb said quietly, "Jon was our brother too. But we didn't insult his memory by swallowing pills and cutting ourselves." Arya looked away, stung.

"That was a horrible thing to say," she whispered. She got off the bed and leaned against the wall, glaring at Robb and Theon.

"It's true though," Theon said. He walked up to her and hugged her; Arya struggled for a moment before melting down. She clung to Theon as she sobbed into his shirt and felt Robb encase her in a hug as well.

"It's your fault too, you know," Theon told her quietly. Arya sniffled and looked up at him in confusion.

"How?" she asked thickly.

"No one made you attempt suicide," Theon explained. "No one made you cut yourself. You made that decision yourself." Arya wiped her eyes and sat back on her bed, Robb and Theon sitting on either side of her.

"But-"

"But nothing," Theon interrupted.

"I fought for years," Arya said defensively. She stood and paced, Robb and Theon watching her every move. "They started bullying me when I was eleven years old! That's five years guys and for those five years I fought and fought and Jon helped me cope and then he went and died and I've had no one to talk to who would try and help me! My friends were in the same boat as me and none of you would have understood or cared!"

"We do care though," Robb said firmly. "We're your brothers Arya! Sansa is our sister! Mum and dad are our parents! You could have come to any of us, so why didn't you?" Arya ran a hand through her hair.

"I was too proud," she said thickly. "I have no control when they bully me, but I can control who I tell. And Sansa would have sided with Joffrey like she always does. They destroyed my bike…the last thing Jon left to me…" She collapsed on the floor and shook with her sobs, craving her pills or something sharp – anything to take the pain and relieve her stress.

"Look," Robb said gently, kneeling next to her. "You know you have to stay at this place, but you'll be out before you know it. You're stronger than you give yourself credit for, Arya."

"We're going to write you so many letters and call and visit so often that you'll get sick of us," Theon promised, kneeling on her other side. "Just go in there and show them who they have to deal with and you'll be back here before you can find someone cute for me to hook up with." Arya let out a shaky laugh and Robb and Theon looked relieved as they stood and left.

Arya felt marginally better after talking with her older brothers and she walked downstairs for dinner – the first meal she would be eating with her family for over a fortnight. She made a point of sitting between Robb and Theon and opposite Bran so Sansa wouldn't be in her line of vision, but she needn't have worried – Sansa was rarely home these days. She could see that her parents looked surprised but pleased at her presence and dinner, though slightly strained, went well considering the circumstances.

"Does Arya really have to go away?" Rickon asked suddenly. Everyone stopped eating and looked at the ten year old. "I don't want her to go."

"Rickon," Ned sighed. "It's something that has to be done. She'll be back soon enough, I promise."

"But why does she have to go to this new school anyway?" Rickon asked. "Is it because she was in hospital?"

"Yes," Catelyn answered. "She has to go to get some help."

"What sort of help?" Rickon asked. Catelyn and Ned looked at each other, but it was Arya who answered.

"I hurt myself really badly, Rick," she told him. "I have to go to get help and heal. Mum and dad are right; I will be back before you know it."

"Does this have something to do with Sansa not being here anymore?" Rickon asked innocently.

"Sort of," Arya answered. "I'd better go pack," she added to everyone else before standing and leaving.

Arya was packing when she heard someone enter her room. "What is it?" she asked, turning to Bran.

"I'm going to miss you," Bran said, watching as Arya folded her jeans and t-shirts into the suitcase. Arya swallowed her tears; those words had been the last Jon had ever said to her.

"I'll miss you too, Little Brother," she replied, turning to him. Bran walked forward and hugged Arya tightly and Arya returned the hug easily. "Who else am I going to argue with?"

"You'll find someone," Bran answered with a shrug. "You always do." Arya laughed quietly; it was short, but genuine.

"Look after Rickon for me," she said seriously. "And make sure my friends are doing okay."

"I will," Bran promised. "And don't get into too much trouble in King's Landing, alright?"

"Deal," Arya said. Bran smiled at her and left and Arya finished packing. She put the suitcase on the floor and went to get ready for bed.

Arya lay awake in bed, hugging Nymeria tightly as she realised that this time tomorrow, she would be in a strange place with strange people. She thought back to her conversation with her brothers – the way Theon had unabashedly blamed her for this situation, the way Robb calmed her down and the way they had both cheered her up enough to go to dinner. Rickon had been thankfully shielded from the truth of why she was going and Bran had acted with maturity she hadn't noticed in him before. She would miss her brothers and it would be a lonely time without them while a bunch of professionals in white coats attempted to get into her inner self and dig out the root of her problems.

After a virtually sleepless night, Arya's suitcase was packed into the family car and her parents would be the only ones dropping her off. Arya had caught a glimpse of Sansa that morning and had pointedly ignored her, though she did notice how tired Sansa looked.

The ride to King's Landing was silent and Arya watched passively as the scenes changed from hills, farms, forests and lakes to the sprawling cities of the south and, finally, after four hours, the dirty looking, smoggy capital that was King's Landing.

Ned parked the car in a nearby carpark and carried Arya's suitcase, Arya walking ahead and looking at the large building looming above her. She resigned herself to her fate as she stood behind her parents at the front desk.

A few seconds had passed before a portly bald man walked up to them. "Mr and Mrs Stark," he said kindly in a soft voice. "My name is Varys. I own and run this establishment and I welcome you and your daughter. I hope her stay with us will be rewarding." He shook Ned's hand and then Catelyn's. "If you will follow me, I will give you a short tour on the way to Arya's room."

Arya put her hands in her jacket pockets and followed wordlessly as Varys showed her parents around the prison, as she had deemed it. They were taken through a wide hallway with doors on either side and lockers. "While Arya is staying with us, she will attend classes," Varys explained as they walked. "We have several clubs as well – a cyvasse club, equestrian club, swimming club and track club. Arya will be required to sign up for one of these extra-curricular activities and she will have sessions with our team of counsellors and psychologists." Huh. Arya glared ahead; she vowed to herself that no one here would break down the walls she had carefully constructed around herself for the last five years. Her parents would know then that sending her away to some mental place wouldn't help her.

They exited through a pair of doors at the back of the hall where some students were hanging out. Arya kept her chin up and looked straight ahead as she felt eyes on her. Varys opened a door at the smaller building next door.

"Are the kids ever unsupervised?" Catelyn asked as Varys led them down another hallway. The doors on either side of the hallway displayed numbers and Arya deduced that this would be where she would be sleeping.

"Hardly ever," Varys told her. "The bathrooms are not monitored, though they are inspected three times a day for illicit drugs, alcohol or certain instruments. The bedrooms, likewise, are inspected thoroughly, but there are no cameras there either."

"Who are your staff?" Ned asked.

"I will introduce them to you on the way out," Varys answered, stopping in front of a door with the number 43 on it. He produced a key and unlocked it, entering and holding the door open for Ned, Catelyn and Arya.

Arya looked around; the bedroom was simply furnished with hardwood floors and white walls, a twin bed, of which the one against the opposite wall looked occupied, a desk and a door which led, presumably, to the bathroom. There was a small TV and lamps and a window that looked out over the King's Landing Railway Station and the city. Ned put Arya's suitcase on the bed closest to the door and Varys promptly led them out, back down the hallway and to the main building.

At the front doors, Varys turned right and Arya and her parents followed him down a narrow hallway before reaching the end; Varys opened the door and the four of them entered the cozy room.

"This is the staff room," Varys explained to them. "Our teachers and counsellors can be found here and if not, they have their contact numbers on the noticeboard if a student needs one of them. Under no circumstances are students allowed in the teachers and counsellors' dorm."

At present, there were two men in the room; one older-looking and the other quite young. Varys followed Arya's curious gaze and smiled again. "Syrio! Gendry! Come here and greet our new guest." The two men walked over and stood politely before Arya, Varys, Ned and Catelyn.

"Syrio is our track coach," Varys explained, pointing to the Braavosi man with black curls and dark, twinkling eyes. "We have a boys and girls team here. And this is Gendry, our newest counsellor. This is his first year on the professional field, but his university marks exceeded what we expected here." Gendry was tall and broad-shouldered, with deep blue eyes and lightly tousled black hair. Arya tore her eyes away from him and looked at her feet.

"A pleasure to meet you both," Ned said politely. Arya rolled her eyes; no doubt she would be expected to sit in some seat at some point while this Gendry guy tried to invade her private life.

"A pleasure to meet you too," Gendry said in a smooth voice.

"Well, we'd best be off," Ned said. Arya's throat felt very tight all of sudden. Blinking back tears, she followed her parents out to the front doors where they stopped.

"We'll come down next month," Catelyn promised.

"Whatever," Arya said, forcing nonchalance. "Do what you want, I don't care."

"Arya." Arya looked at her father and he pulled her to him for a hug. "We don't want to do this Little Wolf," he murmured into her hair. "We have no choice. Do you understand?"

"You had a choice," Arya said bitterly. "You made it." Ned sighed and let her go and Catelyn hugged her too.

"We love you," she said. Arya swallowed and turned away and heard her parents leave.

"They're just doing what's best for you, you know," a voice said from her right. Arya turned and glared at Gendry.

"Let's get something straight," she said walking up to him. "Butt out of my business and don't pretend to know me or how I'm feeling. In fact, don't talk to me at all." Gendry raised an eyebrow at her.

"How about I have a shot?" he asked. Arya turned and started walking away. "You feel like you've been abandoned," Gendry said in a rush, causing Arya to stop. "You feel like your family has given up on you. You're hurt, but you're channelling that hurt into anger because it's the only way you know how to cope now that sharp objects have been taken away from you. You're upset because someone close to you has betrayed you and you've been building walls against everyone for years."

Arya was speechless – they hadn't even had a full conversation! She spun around and walked back to him.

"That isn't true!" she shouted.

"If it isn't true, then why did you stop as soon as I started talking?" Gendry asked calmly.

"Because you're stupid," Arya answered. Gendry's lips twitched and he took a step back.

"You should go get settled in," he told her. "It's going to be a long day tomorrow." Arya glared at him again and left, storming to her room which she found surprisingly easy to remember the location of.

Arya was fuming as she paced around her room, but she knew her fury was directed at how _right_ Gendry was. She could see easily now why he had been admitted to this top facility if he gathered all that about her five minutes after they met. Sighing, Arya grabbed a towel and her shampoo and conditioner and decided a hot shower would soothe her.

**A/N: And we have met Gendry! So he did a counselling course straight after school which took six years, he is now 24 and studying for his PhD in psychology while working professionally for the first time as a counsellor. As I wrote at the start of this chapter, this is a work of fiction and stemmed purely from my imagination and that it is in no way acceptable in real life for a relationship like this to happen.  
>Until next time :D<strong>


	5. New Place, Friendly Face

**A/N: It has been a while and I apologise for that. I've been in Bushfire country on holiday where there is no internet or anything, but here is a chapter from Ned's POV and I hope it will clear some things up for you all. Enjoy, read and review *wink* Reviews keep me writing ;)**

Ned Stark felt the life he built up for himself and his family slowly crumble at the edges. His little girl, his little wolf, had been virtually neglected because he was too blind to see what sort of pain she was going through and the result: he almost lost her the same way he lost Lyanna – through suicide.

Ned gave an involuntary jerk at that thought and his wife looked at him in concern. "We've done what we can for her," she said quietly. "That facility is the top place in the country; it's the best place for her." Ned sighed and pulled over, unable to focus on driving.

"Lyanna was sixteen when she killed herself," he whispered. "I failed her, and as if that wasn't bad enough, I failed our child. I should have known…when Jon died…" Catelyn put her hand on his arm and Ned allowed his tears, those tears he had been holding in since he found out what Arya had done and gone through, fall. He didn't care that crying at that moment was an unmanly, childish thing to do; Catelyn took it in her stride and grasped his hand.

"Listen to me," she said in a quiet but firm voice. Ned swallowed and looked at her, though he was still crying. "She is alive. Our little girl is alive, not dead. She is at the top facility in the country with the top employees from top universities. There is no way this can fail, do you understand me? We will visit her every month on visitation days and we will help her forgive her sister." Ned wiped his eyes and looked away at the mention of his elder daughter.

"Sansa will never be forgiven for this," he said shakily. "She-"

"I know," Catelyn said soothingly. "But to not forgive her is to favour one child over the other which is what we don't tolerate. I know, I'm furious and disgusted at her too, but she is our child as well and she needs help too."

"From what?" Ned asked incredulously, rounding on her. "I don't see her in hospital, I don't see her struggling-"

"We didn't see Arya struggle either," Catelyn reminded him. "Sansa might be struggling too, we just don't know. We've made an almost fatal mistake with Arya; let's not repeat that with anyone else. The first step is to make sure that Sansa stops hanging around those people-"

"She'll never go for that," Ned said bitterly, restarting the car and driving again. "She loves Joffrey more than anything-"

"She's young," Catelyn interrupted. "She'll get over him. There will be plenty of other boys for her, boys who won't lead any of her siblings to self-harm and suicide."

"How can you talk about this so…so calmly?" Ned asked her incredulously.

"This is my way of coping," Catelyn murmured. "Seeing our little girl in that bathroom…I will never get that image out of my mind. I saw the scars when the paramedics stripped her…there were fresh ones from that morning, or at least that's what they told me." Ned came to his decision.

"We need to check all of the kids," he said seriously. "I'll check the boys and you check Sansa. I will not have another relative of mine go the way Lya and Arya have done."

"I agree," Catelyn replied.

….

Arya was pacing in her room after her shower and whirled around when the door opened, coming face-to-face with a girl with silver hair and violet eyes…Arya found her striking and quickly averted her gaze, feeling her own insecurities rise.

"Who are you?" the girl asked warily, though there was no hostility in her tone. Arya cleared her throat but didn't raise her eyes.

"Arya Stark," she said quietly. "You?"

"Daenerys Targaryen," the girl answered, walking across the room to sit on her bed. "But everyone calls me Dany. What did you get in for?" Arya looked at her in surprise.

"What are you in for?" she countered, sitting on her bed. Dany shrugged and turned around as she got out of her tank top and threw on a band shirt that clearly belonged to a guy.

"I've known Varys all my life," she murmured. "Almost all my family are dead and my life was fucked up enough so he took me in for a bit after my boyfriend died."

"I'm sorry," Arya replied. "How…how did he die?"

"Killed," Dany said shortly. "But when we were together, he was…perfect. There's no other word for it." She faced Arya and sat on her own bed. "So, I spilled my delightful sob story. What about you?"

"Attempted suicide," Arya replied; she figured that it was better to be honest straight away, seeing as Dany had opened up. "My parents found out how depressed I've been and I've been sent here."

"This place is great," Dany said sincerely. "There isn't a better place for you to come to. I usually talk to Varys seeing as he and I are close…he's helped me out a lot over my life. Have you met any of the counsellors yet?"

"Apart from Varys?" Arya replied. "One: Gendry Waters. Apparently he's new. And I've met Syrio Forel."

"I met Gendry," Dany said. "He's really young, only just out of university and this is his first position. He's not bad to look at either."

"He analysed me in the thirty seconds in which we met," Arya admitted. "And he was so spot on it was…"

"He did the same with me," Dany said with a smile. "He was accurate with me too; it's what landed him the job here."

"Wait, aren't you a patient?" Arya asked.

"Sort of," Dany answered with a small smile. "I've just turned twenty so technically I shouldn't be here, but Varys is letting me stay until I'm twenty-one so I can get on my feet. I'm doing some work here, just administration, filing, cleaning, things like that and in return he'll put down some money for an apartment."

"That's good of him," Arya told her. "So…what goes on here?"

"Breakfast starts at seven thirty," Dany reeled off. "It goes until eight thirty and classes start at nine. You'd be in…"

"Year 10," Arya filled her in and Dany smiled.

"So, classes start at nine and go until ten thirty which is break and resume at eleven and continue until one which is lunch. They resume at two and finish at three thirty, but at any point your counsellor could come in and request a chat with you. Do you know who your counsellor is yet?"

"No," Arya replied. "When does dinner start?"

"It goes from six until eight," Dany answered. "Curfew is ten for everyone but the staff and from three-thirty until six is recreational time, where there is training for the various sports we have here, for homework, study, or just general relaxation, or a session with your counsellor. Everyone has a designated counsellor."

"Who are the counsellors, apart from Gendry and Varys?" Arya asked.

"There's Tyrion Lannister," Dany answered, "Val Wilds, Ygritte Hunter and Missandei Whitman."

"Do the counsellors stay here?" Arya asked.

"They have the choice," Dany told her. "Occasionally some stay, but most go home after five unless Varys requests otherwise." She stood up and went to the door. "Dinner's about to be served if you wanted anything." Arya stood and followed Dany out of the dorm area and five minutes later, they arrived at the cafeteria.

After getting their food, they sat at a table and ate in silence for a couple of minutes. "People don't sit with you?" Arya asked when she noticed no one had joined them.

"I don't eat here often," Dany explained. "Usually I eat in the staff room."

"I'm not putting you out, am I?" Arya asked.

"No," Dany assured her.

When they finished dinner, Dany led Arya to the rec room where there were a few patients, all teenagers. There was what looked like a musical on the television, a few people playing pool, chess and cards and some people were just reading. Dany led Arya to the pool table. "Got room for two more, Nephew?" she asked. The boy turned to Dany and looked at Arya, Arya holding his stare with a little difficulty. He was beautiful; there was no other word for it: silver hair that fell neatly to his shoulders, a willowy frame and dark purple eyes…Arya held her hand out and shook the newcomer's hand.

"I'm Arya," she introduced herself.

"Aegon," the boy replied with a charming smile. "And I see you've met my aunt."

"He'll be moving in with me next year," Dany clarified for her. "He's not an official patient either."

"What are you in for then?" Aegon asked.

"Mind your own business," Arya said testily and Aegon chuckled before turning to Dany. "Yeah, you and Arya can play," he said before turning to his companion. "What do you say Ramsay?" Ramsay looked Arya up and down before nodding and bending to grab his cue. Arya shivered unpleasantly: that look had creeped her out a little. She grabbed a cue and the game started.

"So, have you just joined us today then Arya?" Aegon asked as Ramsay broke for the first move.

"Yes," Arya answered. "Dany says this is a good place."

"It is," Aegon said seriously. "You'll be home in no time." He smirked and winked at her and took his shot, hitting a striped number in the pocket. "Girls against guys?" he suggested.

"Sure," Dany agreed and Aegon took another turn.

After the match, in which the boys won narrowly, Dany and Arya said their goodbyes and went to their room. "Is it just me or is Ramsay a bit…creepy?" Arya asked as they started getting ready for lights out.

"It's not just you," Dany assured her. "Ramsay is a general creep, but just treat him normally and he won't harm you." Arya's brows furrowed at this strange instruction but she shrugged it off and crawled into bed, whacked out by her first day at this strange new place. She longed to be home in Winterfell, sleeping in her own bed and possibly having Rickon sleep with her…she felt her first tears fall at the thought of her baby brother, sleeping in her empty bed without her there to comfort him from bad dreams.

…

**A/N: So Arya is roomies with Daenerys :D So I'll just explain Dany and Aegon's situation here. When they were young, both five years old, their family died in a major fire and they had a family friend in Essos (Magister Illyrio) who took them in for ten years. They moved back to Westeros after the death of Dany's boyfriend and Varys took them in at the facility where Dany received counselling for her loss and Aegon worked for his keep. When Dany finished counselling, she started working as well and the work they've done have resulted in Varys putting a down payment on a flat for them. Think of him as their fairy godfather.  
>I decided to put Ramsay at the institute because hey, he's a nutcase in canon so I thought I'd bring him in this fic. I don't know quite yet what to do with him, though I'll think of something.<br>Next time: Arya deals with her first official day of counselling/school at the Home and she gets a pleasant surprise. :D  
><strong> 


	6. This is Not a Shrink, Definitely Not

**A/N: You guys are so lucky I already had this chapter outlined :D so looks like another update within two days :P I'm so thrilled at all the positive comments I've received about this fic. It worried me slightly when I posted it, and I have had someone raise the issue that no, this would not happen in real life and yes, Gendry would be prosecuted in a heartbeat. But hey, this is fanfiction and as long as people don't take it seriously, I don't see any harm in it. :-) **

Arya was awake and ready to go at eight and she followed Dany to the cafeteria where she was served bacon, eggs, sausages and toast. "Good food," Arya commented and Dany smiled in response.

They sat at a table and started eating in silence before Arya broke it. "So what will you do while I'm in class?" she asked.

"Probably some filing for Varys," Dany replied. "And I'm looking at universities to attend as well."

"Cool," Arya said genuinely. "What do you want to study?"

"I don't know," Dany answered. "Something with children, or something in politics. I can't decide." They were interrupted when Varys came over with the counsellor Gendry.

"Arya," Varys greeted kindly before kissing Dany on the cheek. "I've drawn up a rough timetable for you. Gendry will be your designated counsellor. This morning's session is for you and he to start talking and then at break come see me and we will sort out your electives and after school activity." Arya stared stonily at Gendry who returned her look calmly.

"I'll be waiting outside when you're ready," he told her before turning and leaving.

"Are there any questions?" Varys asked.

"When can I get out of here?" Arya said promptly and Varys cracked a smile.

"As soon as we decide you're ready," he replied.

"When's the first visitation?" Arya asked.

"In three weeks," Varys replied. "You're parents will not worry at all if you haven't progressed – these things take time." Arya stood and shouldered her bag, taking the timetable off Varys.

"I'll see you later," she said to Dany.

"Good luck," Dany called after her. Arya waved to show she had heard and exited the cafeteria before walking straight into something hard. She stumbled back and was steadied. Opening her mouth to thank whoever it was, Arya immediately shut it when she saw that the hard thing she had walked into had been Gendry's chest.

"Ready?" Gendry asked, pulling back.

"Obviously," Arya said coldly. "Lead the way Doc." Gendry raised an eyebrow and started walking up the stairs, Arya keeping pace with him.

"I'm not a doctor," Gendry said quietly. "Just a counsellor."

"What's the difference?" Arya asked.

"I don't have my PhD," Gendry explained, glancing at her. "Just a diploma in mental health services so I can talk to you, but I can't prescribe medication." They reached room 31 and Gendry held the door open for Arya who walked in and looked around.

The room was set like a sitting room with four leather couches, a coffee table, and a desk in the corner which held Gendry's laptop and a bookshelf filled with a variety of books. Gendry gestured to the couches and Arya ungraciously took a seat, her heart hammering with nerves as she watched Gendry take the couch opposite her. Arya immediately pointed to the couch adjacent.

"Don't make this a shrink session," she said. Gendry raised his eyebrows and leaned forwards.

"Arya," he said quietly. "Is there anything that you want to talk about?"

"No," Arya said stiffly and Gendry sat back.

"If you're worried about this getting back to your parents, just know that this is one hundred per cent confidential," he told her. "I won't even tell Varys if that's what you want."

"I don't want anything except to get out of here," Arya said hotly, standing. Gendry remained where he was, watching her with interest.

"You can't get out of here until we get to the root of your problems," he said. "So if you want to get out quickly, you'd better start talking now." Arya paced, her fury rising at the prick sitting across from her.

"What would you know about any of this?" she said angrily.

"More than you think," Gendry answered calmly. "Arya, I want to help. I'm sorry you hate me-"

"Yes I hate you," Arya snapped. "I hate every-fucking-thing and every-fucking-one. I've had enough. I want out." She ran a hand through her hair and walked to the door but before she could leave, Gendry was there holding the door shut.

"Arya," he said with the closest to anger she had heard from him. "I am here to help you. I will not judge you no matter what you've done. I will not tell anyone if that's what you want. Just open up and let me in." Arya held his gaze, his blue eyes intense.

"You swear you'll get me out of here as soon as possible?" she asked quietly.

"Yes," Gendry replied. "As soon as I think you're ready, you're out of here. I swear." Arya held his gaze a moment longer and walked back to the couch, wrapping her arms around her legs. Gendry sat on the couch adjacent from her this time and looked at her attentively.

"Where do you want me to start?" she asked emotionlessly.

"Who was it you lost?" Gendry asked. Arya swallowed as she felt the familiar pang and she focused on the opposite wall.

"My brother," she whispered.

"When?" Gendry asked quietly.

"Two and a half years ago," Arya answered, looking back at him. "Mum never liked him because…because dad cheated on her but she took dad back…she drove him away."

"Why do you think that?" Gendry prompted.

"She treated him like shit," Arya said thickly, tears welling up in her eyes. "Nothing he did was ever good enough and he…he tried so hard to get her praise but she never gave him anything but cold, hard hatred and then when he was twenty he…he joined the army."

"And how did you lose him?" Gendry asked softly.

"He was betrayed," Arya explained, her voice still thick. "His friends, the people he called brothers, betrayed him and killed him. I remember being pulled out of school and I remember the funeral…wanting to be down there with him…" she gasped as she let herself properly cry for the first time since she had heard of Jon's death, Gendry watching her.

"And you resent your mother because you blame her?" he asked quietly. Arya hesitated at this before nodding and she knew straight away that Gendry noticed. He sat up straight and stared at her for a few moments. "You blame yourself, don't you?" he said softly.

"No!" Arya shouted, standing and backing away. "No, I don't blame myself! It's all mum's fault-"

"Why did you hesitate before confirming that then?" Gendry asked calmly. "Look, you were obviously very close to your brother and yes it was horrible what happened to him but there are only a handful of people who are to be blamed and they are the people who killed him."

"But I killed him too!" Arya cried without thinking and she moved back, chest heaving from her outburst and noticed something flash in Gendry's eyes.

"Tell me," he said quietly, standing as well. He moved closer to her; close enough that she could clearly see his face but far away enough to not scare her off. Arya took a few more ragged breaths and looked to the door; Gendry noticed and hastily stepped between.

"Let me go," she whispered. "I can't…I…"

"Just tell me why you think you killed him," Gendry murmured. "And then I'll let you go, I promise." Arya wiped her eyes and shook her head and next thing she knew, she was attacking Gendry who didn't react. "Let it all out Arya," he whispered as she punched his chest. "Do what you want."

Arya screamed as she punched, kicked and scratched him, furious that he wasn't fighting back. She felt the familiar itch and needed something, anything, to alleviate it, but of course there was nothing…Arya collapsed against Gendry and cried, letting the past two years escape her as she let out all her bottled-in emotions loose. She felt herself being lifted and placed onto the couch and tried to calm herself.

"Talk when you're ready," Gendry told her.

"I need…" Arya gasped and sat up, wiping her eyes and looking at Gendry. "I need-"

"Do you have a substance addiction?" Gendry asked her bluntly. Arya sat back, amazed at how accurate Gendry was.

"I…"

"Remember I'm not going to judge you for anything," Gendry murmured. "You can trust me Arya."

"I don't trust anyone," Arya whispered. "I met Jaqen through a friend who bought his stuff and he sold me drugs…I don't know what they were called but…"

"You told me you had killed your brother," Gendry prompted gently. "Explain why you think that." Arya swallowed and leaned back.

"The last thing I ever said to him was 'You can go die for all I care, Bastard.'"

"That must have been hard for him to hear," Gendry said sympathetically. Arya noticed he had flinched a little. "But I don't understand how you decided-"

"It was a horrible thing for me to tell him," Arya whispered. "We were so close and I couldn't accept that being a soldier was what he decided to be because I was selfish and wanted him home with me for always."

"How old were you?" Gendry asked.

"Twelve," Arya murmured. "Two years later, he died. How ironic."

"You aren't to blame for his death," Gendry said gently. "And neither is your mother. Only the people who turned their backs on him are to blame."

"But mum-"

"Maybe you don't know the full story," Gendry said patiently. "Have you ever properly discussed things with your mum? Your dad?" Arya's gaze turned stony.

"You said you wouldn't judge," she said coldly, moving to stand. She felt a shock when Gendry grabbed her hand and it was the jolt that ran through her more than anything else that made her stay still. Gendry retracted his hand straight away.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I didn't mean to do that."

"Don't worry about it," Arya replied, forcing nonchalance.

"I'm not judging you," Gendry told her. "I just meant that maybe things would be easier for the three of you if you all opened up. It seems there are a few feelings of resentment that need to be cleared."

"They didn't know what was happening to me…what I was doing to myself," Arya explained quietly. "I hid it from them."

"They're your parents," Gendry said. "They should have suspected something wasn't right, especially considering someone close to you had passed away."

"How can they have known-"

"I didn't say they should have known," Gendry interrupted. "I said they should have suspected. If I had a kid that lost someone really close to them, I would check on them every chance I got." Arya shrugged and looked away.

"They had a lot on their plates," she said. "I didn't want to burden them." Gendry sighed and sat back.

"I won't pretend to understand why things went as far as they did," he said. "But they realised on time what the extent of your pain was and sending you here was probably the best thing they could have done. But when they visit, I'm talking to them, and to you. Whatever problems you and your parents have, they're part of what's been going on with you and the first step to getting you out of here quickly is to make sure those feelings are let out." Arya tried to find an argument – there was no way that her parents would be okay with Gendry telling them what he had just told her about their parenting skills, but she couldn't think of a valid excuse.

"Can I go?" she asked. "I can't handle anymore of this bullshit."

"Come on, I'll take you to Varys," Gendry replied, standing up with a slight wince. "You have a mean kick and punch on you." Arya stood as well and bit her lip, embarrassed by her outburst.

"I'm sorry about that," she told him as they walked to the door. "I didn't mean-"

"I know," Gendry interrupted with a small smile. "I know how hard it is to get off drugs and I know how difficult it is to control yourself when you're struggling with addiction." Arya reddened and Gendry looked concerned. "I don't think any less of you as a person," he added in a rush. "You're handling this better than I thought you would."

"Really?" Arya asked.

"Yes," Gendry answered with a smile. They reached Varys' office and Gendry knocked.

"Enter," Varys called and Gendry and Arya entered. "Ah, Arya," he greeted. "And Gendry. Do sit down." Gendry and Arya sat and Varys looked at Arya. "How did you find the counselling session?" he asked kindly.

"It…" Arya trailed off as she thought. Yes, she had been furious when she felt she was being badgered by Gendry, but now that she had calmed down, it seemed she felt a fraction of the weight had lifted off her chest. "It was…"

"Violent," Gendry supplied and Arya grimaced.

"I'm sorry-"

"I already told you not to worry about it," Gendry said patiently.

"I don't feel so…weighed down," Arya explained slowly. "Like part of the darkness has been chipped away."

"It's a long road to recovery," Varys told her. "But this is excellent progress. Now, I have your new timetable almost ready. I want to know if you want to do track and field, swimming, football, dance or basketball." Arya remembered Syrio Forel from the previous day and how it was mentioned that he was the track and field coach.

"Track and field," she answered and Varys filled in a few places.

"Good," he said. "And your electives. Your base subjects are Westerosi, Maths and physical education and our electives are Braavosi, Valyrian, Literature, History, Biology, Chemistry, Media, Music, Dance and Performing Arts. Choose three electives."

"Braavosi, literature and history," Arya reeled off; she had done those subjects at Riverrun. Varys finished filling in her timetable and printed it off, handing it to her.

"You are on break at the moment," he explained. "Your next class is literature." Arya nodded and, recognising the dismissal, got up and went to the door before turning to Gendry. "You can tell him everything I told you," she said and Gendry inclined his head. Arya left and decided to find her way to class before checking her timetable. She didn't have track and field until Wednesday, two days away.

After classes, Arya tried finding Dany, but had no such luck. She decided to go around the grounds and try and meet new people.

She arrived at the football pitch and saw people lying around, playing football and a range of other games and was about to head to a group of girls who were watching her curiously when she saw Dany run over to her.

"You have a call," she said and Arya followed her to the side room used for making personal phone calls. "I'll leave you to it." Dany left, closing the door behind her and Arya picked up the receiver.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Arya, is that you?" Arya felt a sense of relief and gratitude. It was Shireen.

"Hi," Arya said. "How-"

"We only just heard you'd moved to the King's Landing Home," Willow said; Shireen's phone must be on speaker. "We're so sorry; we visited you in the hospital but-"

"I understand," Arya interrupted. "It's not so bad here but don't you dare tell anyone else that. I'm rooming with a girl called Dany and it's pretty much a boarding school with free periods for counselling."

"Have you had a counselling session yet?" Shireen asked.

"Yes," Arya answered. "This morning. We all get designated a counsellor and my designated counsellor is just out of uni on his first year of paid work, and he's hot."

"Wow, admit me to that place," Shireen joked and Arya laughed.

"He's scarily accurate though," she told them. "Not thirty seconds after we met, he gave me a perfect summary on what I was feeling and he was one hundred percent right about everything."

"How did the counselling go?" Lommy asked, joining the conversation.

"I may or may not have attacked him," Arya said casually. "He was good about it actually and did the accuracy thing again. He wants to talk to mum and dad when they come to visit."

"We want to come and visit as well," Hot Pie said. "When can we visit?"

"I don't know," Arya answered truthfully. "I think for now it's only family, but maybe in a couple of months if I'm deemed stable enough I can ask."

"We miss you," Willow said.

"I miss you guys too," Arya replied. "It's not the same without you all."

"You'll be back really soon," Shireen assured her. "And we promise, as soon as you're allowed visitors that aren't family, we'll be down there."

"I'll hold you all to that," Arya said. "I'd better go, my stomach has called for food."

"See you," Shireen said and Arya hung up the phone, realising with a sickening feeling that she felt annoyed at her friends. Vowing that she would bring that up with Gendry when she next spoke to him, she left the room and followed Dany to the cafeteria for dinner.

**A/N: So a nice long chapter for you all :D I hope I did Gendry and Arya's session justice. At the moment she hates him, because she's associating him with her depression. Gendry is good at his job, but he will stumble a few times. I wanted to make him good at his job so that his mistakes are larger. He made a couple in this chapter.  
>And Arya's friends called her! Yes, Arya is annoyed at them, the reason for which you will find out next chapter. I sort of skated over the classes because a) I don't feel like they're important to the plot, b) I can't write classroom chapters to save myself and c) because I don't know a thing about Braavosi and I don't have the imagination for literature or history. Maybe when I get the World of Ice and Fire I'll put in some history classes.<br>I was going to base the days of the week based on the Seven (example, Monday = Maidday), but I thought it would be too confusing, so we're left with the Roman calendar.  
>What else do I ramble about…Gendry was going to tell Varys about his and Arya's session anyway, and one of the mistakes Gendry made is that he promised he wouldn't tell his supervisor (Varys), which is a big no-no. Anyway, this story will be a bit of a slow-burner, but I want to establish them with a bond of trust and respect before doing anything with them. Gendry is intrigued by Arya at the moment and Arya hates him, but has little bursts of trust in him.<br>I'll shut up now, hope you enjoyed. Reviews make me update faster ;)**


	7. Making Teams and Deals

**A/N: I think I'm spoiling you all a bit :P  
>Anyway, there was concern raised for when Gendry had a go at Arya's parents and the fact they should have suspected what was happening – the main point being that by him telling her that about her parents, he isn't allowing her to draw her own conclusion and it could be counter-productive. The other point is that he should have let her leave when she wanted to go, but that one was intentional, a pre-planned Gendry-mistake.<br>I admit that first point was a mistake on my part; I'm basing these interactions/sessions LOOSELY on previous counsellors I've seen over the years. The most recent had a go at one of my parents and I thought that it would fit nicely in this fic, and of course I'm trying to think of everything to make this as authentic as possible so I did forget that detail.  
>But I digress, here is chapter Seven :D <strong>

Arya had never met anyone quite as infuriating as Gendry Waters: the way he correctly assumed things about her and what she was feeling, the way he never fought back when she attacked him verbally and physically, how calm he was when she was a ticking timebomb that would go off at any second and, above all, what he had said about her parents being virtually neglectful.

Arya was walking around the athletic track, trying to clear her head before training. Who was that arsehole to say that he thought her parents sucked at being parents? Arya surmised that from an outsider's point of view, her parents could be seen as neglectful, but Arya knew that, despite everything, they loved her and wanted what was best for her. It wasn't their fault that she was too secretive, stubborn and independent to tell them what was happening with Joffrey and his cronies.

Arya blamed one person in particular for the way things had turned out and that was Sansa. Sansa, who was perfect, who could do no wrong, who was beautiful, popular and a perfect little lady…Arya kicked a stone bitterly. She could see absolutely no way in which to forgive her sister for what she had done and Theon and Robb could argue all they wanted, but Sansa had given Arya no choice but to cope with sharp objects and drugs. If Sansa was a better sister and stuck up for her once in a while, things might have been different.

Arya furiously wiped away her tears as she thought on what Gendry had worked out. "You blame yourself, don't you?" he had asked in a soft tone, like she was too fucking fragile for him to ask it normally. Of course she blamed herself for Jon's death. She had sent him away as much as her mother had, had practically told him she didn't care whether he lived or died…well, she was paying that price now. She never wanted him to die but those rash words were the last Jon heard from her, the sibling he had always been closest to, before he had died and Arya would never forgive herself for making him feel like she hated him.

Arya jogged to the starting line of the track when she saw a group of girls and guys with Syrio Forel and decided that she would see Gendry afterwards and talk to him about how she wanted the counselling sessions to be.

"You are late, Girl!" Syrio called.

"Sorry," Arya replied, stopping next to Ramsay; not exactly someone she wanted to be near but a familiar face at least. She could feel his eyes on her but determinedly kept her focus on Syrio.

"I am Syrio Forel, former Track and Field Champion of Braavos," Syrio introduced himself to everyone. "You will be training in hard conditions, in the rain, snow, sleet, sun and rain. You will commit yourself to this training and will come out feeling as though you have accomplished something. You are all here for specific reasons and this is your outlet." Syrio put them into three groups of four. Arya was placed with Ramsay, a girl named Monyka and another boy named Devan. The latter two gave her a friendly smile which she managed to return before they began the drills.

…

Three hours of hard training later, Arya had showered and eaten dinner and decided to see if Gendry was in the staff room. She knocked on the door and it was answered by Varys. "Miss Stark," he greeted, looking unsurprised to see her there. "To what do I owe this late pleasure?"

"I need to see Gendry," Arya said quietly, looking at him directly. Varys looked concerned and stepped out of the staff room.

"I'm afraid Gendry isn't inside," he told her softly. "But he may be in his counselling room, he did say something about finishing some paperwork."

"Thanks," Arya said and she walked off without waiting for a reply. She arrived at Room 31 and took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

"Come in," Gendry's voice sounded from the other door. Arya entered and saw Gendry sitting at the desk, typing something into his laptop before he turned his head and saw her standing awkwardly in the doorway. "Arya," he said in surprise. "Is everything okay?"

"Sort of," Arya replied, shutting the door. Gendry closed his laptop and stood tall, crossing his arms.

"Is there anything you need to talk about?" he asked her.

"Yes," Arya answered. Gendry gestured to the couches and Arya sat in one, Gendry in the opposite one.

"What is it?" he asked quietly, looking at her with a hint of worry in his gaze. Arya raised an eyebrow at him and sat back, crossing her arms.

"I have a bone to pick with you," she said.

"Go on," Gendry encouraged.

"I want you to know that I don't like you," Arya said. Gendry flinched slightly but didn't look surprised.

"I'm sorry you feel that way," he said, looked at his hands. "I didn't think I handled that session very well. I told Varys what happened; he told me he wouldn't be surprised if the limited trust you had in me on Monday would have gone. I made too many mistakes."

"I want to keep coming to you," Arya continued. "But I want them to be on my terms. I seem to open up with you, even though I don't like you. There's something about you that makes me want to talk so I don't think trust is an issue."

"Name your terms," Gendry replied, looking back at her. Arya swallowed and crossed her legs.

"One," she said. "When we talk, I want to feel like I'm confiding in a friend, not a shrink. That means you're to sit next to me or on the couch adjacent to me." Gendry nodded his assent; that he could do for her. "Two, you are to never, ever have a go at my parents again. They love me and they're doing what's best for me. Don't assume anything about them because you don't know them."

"Alright," Gendry agreed. "I'm sorry for what I said about your parents."

"Don't worry about it," Arya said tersely. "Three: if I feel like I can't talk anymore, you have to let me go. I'll come to you in my own time, but you were part of the reason I had that violent meltdown, the other being that I haven't had pills for too long."

"I promise," Gendry said instantly. "I know I was too pushy with you Arya and I didn't mean to freak you out. Now, here are my terms."

"Your terms?" Arya asked incredulously, sitting up straight. "I-"

"One," Gendry interrupted. "If at any point you feel like you need to talk, come to me. Night or day, it doesn't matter. I'm worried about you and I want to help." Arya was stunned into silence.

"Why are you worried about me?" she asked quietly.

"You're handling things a little too well to be totally convincing," Gendry said. "I mean it Arya. I want to help you as much as I can." Arya nodded and Gendry continued.

"Two," he said. "I want you to be honest with me. Don't lie about how you're feeling, just come out and say it. Depression is difficult enough to deal with without lying to yourself and those around you as well."

"Yes," Arya agreed. Gendry cracked a smile.

"Three," he finished. "I want to talk with your family members at some point so that this tension you have in you can just stop. I swear I will be professional and I won't tell them anything without your written consent." Arya opened her mouth but Gendry cut across her. "It doesn't have to be the first visitation. I want to gain your trust and I want you to feel as though you trust me enough to come to me. I want you to be with me and your family when we chat."

Arya mulled over this condition. He was giving her time to get used to the idea so that they wouldn't have to talk with her family straight away and if truth be told, she wanted to stop feeling so negative whenever she was around her parents and sister. She looked at Gendry as she considered. His unwavering stare and the way he set his jaw as he watched her made her decision for her.

"Alright," she said. "But I'm doing the talking with my family and you will be my moral support." Gendry nodded and they shook hands.

"We have ourselves a deal then," Gendry told her. They stood and Gendry walked Arya to the door where Arya looked up at him.

"I do trust you, you know," she said and Gendry looked at her in surprise. "Only trust could have torn down the walls I've had since I was eleven." She gave him a small smile and left, hearing him close the door behind her.

Arya strolled at a leisurely pace back to her dorm, thinking over what she had said. She may not like the shrink guy, but she knew she trusted him. He was different, genuine. She wasn't an idiot, she knew he was being paid for his work, but the way he said he was worried about her…

A shiver ran down Arya's spine and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Though not overly concerned, she quickened her pace when she sensed eyes on her and entered the girls' dorm buiding and running into Monyka.

"Arya," Monyka said with a smile. Arya smiled back – her track teammate was friendly and bubbly and Arya couldn't imagine for the life of her why she was in a place like this.

"Hi," Arya replied. "Where are you off to?"

"Rec room," Monyka replied. "Did you want to come?"

"No thanks," Arya said instantly. "I'm really tired from training. I was just heading to bed."

"The training gets easier," Monyka promised with a smile as she left. Arya watched her go before going upstairs to her room and found Dany at the desk.

"What are you doing?" Arya asked casually, stripping down to get into her pyjamas.

"Looking at universities," Dany replied. "There's a really good one in Braavos, but I don't want to be far from home, and there's one in the Reach, Dorne, the North and Pentos. I'm torn about which one to apply for."

"Apply for the one that you think is right," Arya said with a shrug, going to the bathroom they shared with the girls next door to do her teeth. "That's what my father said to my brothers when they were applying."

"It's too much tonight," Dany sighed. Arya finished brushing her teeth and came back to the room, flopping on her bed. "How was training anyway?" Arya groaned and Dany laughed. "It wasn't that bad was it?"

"No," Arya admitted. "He worked us really hard but it was a good hard, you know? Like I had something to focus my energies on. I'm in a team with three other people, Monyka Wiley, Devan Seaworth and Ramsay."

"Monyka's lovely," Dany told her. "And Devan is really sweet."

"It's Ramsay I'm worried about," Arya said.

"Don't worry about him," Dany replied. "He's not a bad guy." Arya remembered the feeling of eyes on her and wasn't so sure, but she was in no mood to argue.

"I saw Gendry as well," she said, noticing that Dany sat up straighter at this.

"And?" she asked. Arya shrugged.

"He freaked me out a little two days ago in our first session," she admitted and Dany immediately looked concerned, which Arya noticed. "Not in a bad way," she continued in a rush. "More like, he's…learning on the job a bit and making a few errors?"

"What were these errors?" Dany asked.

"I'm not sure," Arya answered. "He didn't let me out a couple of times and he had a go at my parents, but he talked with Varys afterwards and I told him my terms."

"Do you trust him?" Dany asked.

"Yes," Arya said. "I swore when I came here that I wouldn't let anyone inside my head and nothing but trust made me open up to Gendry straight away. Anyway, he's not having another go at my parents, he's to sit closer to me and not at a shrink-like distance when I'm talking to him and he's to let me out when I've had enough. Then he added conditions of his own-"

"He shouldn't be able to do that," Dany said sharply.

"I know," Arya said with a shrug. "But I think it was more making a deal with him. Just, whenever I need to, I can talk to him, he wants to talk to my parents when they visit at some stage and he wants me to be honest at all times. He compromised and I'm talking to my parents when they come down and Gendry will be my moral support. I thought it was a fair deal so I took it."

"As long as you know what you're doing," Dany said, calming down.

"I do," Arya assured her. "I'm not a little kid and I can take care of myself. Gendry isn't nearly as smart as he thinks he is."

"Aegon likes you," Dany said casually, changing the subject. "He thinks you've got spunk."

"That's nice to hear," Arya replied. "At least someone likes me." Dany smiled at her.

"I like you too," she said. "And so does Ramsay, though he doesn't really know how to express positive feelings."

"I noticed," Arya answered. "Is he autistic or something?"

"I can't tell you," Dany said seriously. "Confidentiality and all that." Arya blushed.

"Sorry," she said.

"Don't worry," Dany replied. "It's all good." Arya yawned and got under her covers, falling asleep in minutes.

_Twelve year old Arya could hear raised voices from the kitchen, though she couldn't make out the words they were using. Her father and her half-brother were shouting the place down and no one knew why._

_Arya was a little frightened – neither her father nor Jon were shouters, that was her mother, hers and Sansa's job – but for the argument to reach this scale…she looked at her ten-year-old brother Bran, her thirteen-year-old sister Sansa, her six-year-old brother Rickon, her sixteen-year -old brother Robb and her twenty-one-year old brother Theon and saw that they looked shocked as well._

_It was hours later when Arya was in her room, hugging her stuffed wolf Nymeria to her chest when she heard her door creak open slightly. She looked up at Jon, dressed in a black shirt, pants, boots, his dark brown hair hidden under a cap. _

"_Jon?" she asked, watching as Jon knelt down beside her bed. "What is it? What were you and dad yelling about today?"_

"_I'm leaving," Jon whispered._

"_Where are we going?" Arya asked instantly; she would follow her favourite brother anywhere. Jon shook his head, looking pained._

"_Little Sister, I'm going to live with Uncle Benjen," he explained quietly. Arya's foggy mind didn't register at first, but the haze cleared and she jumped out of bed._

"_You can't!" she cried, leaving the room._

"_Arya-"_

"_No!" Arya cried, her shoulder-length hair swaying with every movement. "No, Jon! You can't leave!"_

"_I've wanted to be a soldier since I was a boy," Jon murmured, following her to the living room._

"_What's all this noise?" The light switched on and Arya saw that her father, mother, older brothers and sister were awake._

"_No, Jon," Ned said quietly, instantly understanding. "Think what you're doing."_

"_I've thought about it for years," Jon pleaded. "I've always wanted to be with Uncle Benjen, fighting…since I was a boy listening to Uncle Benjen's war stories I've wanted to be a soldier." He held Ned's gaze for a few moments before Ned sighed._

"_I can't stop you" he said resignedly. "You're twenty-years-old son. Do whatever you feel is right. But please, leave in the morning so we can say goodbye properly." Jon nodded and everyone went back to bed, but Arya lay awake, dreading the morning._

_Jon was ready to leave after breakfast and the family lined up outside the front. Jon and Ned shared a long hug and whispered conversation, Catelyn hesitated before pulling Jon in for a quick hug, whispering something in his ear, Theon and Robb embraced him, Sansa hugged him quickly and kissed his cheek, Bran hugged him and Rickon jumped in his arms. Finally he reached Arya who looked back at him stonily._

"_Arya," Jon said, his voice cracking. "Please understand-"_

"_How can I understand?" Arya asked bitterly. "You're leaving us Jon. You're leaving me." Jon swallowed and went to muss her hair but Arya took a step back._

"_Little Sister-"_

"_I'm not your sister," Arya said coldly. "You chose to leave. You can die for all I care, Bastard." Jon's expression was one beyond any pain, any hurt and Arya felt a stab of remorse for her harsh words before pushing it down. Jon held her gaze for a moment before standing tall._

"_I'll miss you," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion before walking off._

Arya woke up, realising she was sobbing quietly and she hugged Nymeria to her ever tighter. Jon had bought her the wolf for her fifth birthday and she had shown her at school, naming her after the ancient warrior queen she idolised.

Arya lay awake for the rest of the night, the thoughts _you killed him_ repeating themselves in her mind like a mantra, her nails digging into the sides of her wrists in an attempt to distract herself from the dark thoughts clouding her head.

**A/N: So we find out the last exchange between Jon and Arya and it broke my heart :/ trust me I did not want to kill Jon off.  
>So Arya has realised that she does trust Gendry, but she still doesn't like him. Monyka is based on Weasel (the little girl who hangs around Arya, Gendry and Hot Pie for a bit), albeit an older version.<br>What did you think of Arya going to Gendry and giving out terms for him? What did you think of the flashback she had? What did you think of Syrio Forel? Don't worry, we'll be seeing more him him *Winks*.  
>Until next time :D<strong>


	8. I'll Be Watching You

**A/N: And another chapter :) this story is turning into my baby. I love it to bits. Anyway, I won't bore you all with this author's note so here we go.**

Sansa Stark's life was falling apart and for the first time ever, she realised the extent of what her sister had gone through at the behest of Joffrey, Mykaela, Elmar, Margaery, Jeyne and herself.

Joffrey, it turned out, was an abusive asshole who blackmailed her into staying with him. Sansa would never betray Jeyne and Margaery and that thought made her wish that she had never betrayed Arya.

Sansa was lying on Joffrey's bed while Joffrey redressed after having his way with her. Sansa couldn't believe she had ever liked him, had ever thought him handsome and again, the tears of regret were beginning to show. Joffrey had used a belt on her that time and every movement was painful.

"You'll go home and hide those," Joffrey drawled, gesturing to the bruises, cuts and welts on Sansa's body. "You'll tell no one or I'll-"

"I know," Sansa said tiredly. Her heart stopped – she hadn't meant to interrupt him. Joffrey pulled his shirt on and looked at her angrily before punching her in the stomach. Sansa gasped in pain and Joffrey shook his head before walking to his door.

"I thought you would have started learning by now," he said softly. "But you always were stupid." He left and Sansa got up and dressed. She took one look around the room and left.

…...

"Where's Sansa?" Catelyn asked during dinner.

"Probably at Joffrey's," Bran supplied. "She's always there now."

"She's been at his house every day," Ned said quietly. They were interrupted when the front door opened and Sansa came in, closing the door behind her.

"Sansa," Catelyn said, standing and walking to her daughter.

"Hi mum," Sansa said robotically, taking off her coat and shoes. "I was just at Joffrey's." Catelyn was immediately concerned – Sansa looked like death warmed up and there was something in her gaze.

"Come with me," Catelyn said. Sansa obeyed without argument and followed Catelyn to her bedroom where Catelyn rounded on her. "Is everything alright with you and Joffrey?" she asked at once, noticing Sansa tense momentarily.

"Everything's fine," Sansa replied with a forced smile. "Really mum. He…" she trailed off and Catelyn knew at once that something was wrong. She would not let any of her other children go through anything like what Arya had gone through.

"I will not have a repeat of Arya, Sansa," Catelyn said. "What's going on? You're hardly home, you spend more time with Joffrey than you do with us and you don't seem yourself. I'm your mother, you can tell me anything." She watched as Sansa's eyes welled up and next thing she knew, she was holding her daughter as she cried. "Please tell me what's happening," Catelyn whispered against Sansa's hair.

"He's a monster," Sansa said thickly. "He's…he…"

"What has he done?" Catelyn asked, dread filling the pit of her stomach. _I've failed three of the six children I raised. I don't deserve to be called a mother._

"He tells his friends to beat me!" Sansa cried, letting it all out. "He tells them to belt me! He hits and belts me and he's blackmailing me into sex and I'm so sorry mum! I'm so sorry about everything! I don't deserve to be in this family!"

"Hush," Catelyn whispered, feeling tears of her own fall. She pushed Sansa back slightly. "Show me what he has done." Sansa sobbed as she took all her clothes off, standing naked as her nameday while Catelyn looked in horror at the bruises, welts and cuts that covered her body.

"He never goes for my face," Sansa whispered. "He likes it when I'm pretty."

"Your father must know," Catelyn told her. She made for the door but Sansa stood in front of it.

"You can't!" she pleaded. "Joffrey has…videos of Jeyne and Margaery and if he finds out I've told anyone, he'll expose them and-"

"Sansa Stark," Catelyn said firmly, scared out of her wits by what she had discovered. "Your safety is much more important than your friends' honour. I will tell your father about this and Joffrey Baratheon will be punished for this." Catelyn pushed past Sansa and went to the dining room, wiping her eyes.

"You need to come with me, now," Catelyn told Ned shakily who stood and followed her back to Sansa's room, looking concerned. Catelyn knocked on Sansa's door. "Sweetheart, open up." There was a moment and Catelyn thought that Sansa was going to refuse, but the door opened and she and Ned stepped through. Sansa had her bra and underwear on and Ned looked in fury at the bruises.

"Did Joffrey do this?" he asked quietly, his voice shaky with rage. Sansa nodded and Ned ran a hand through his hair.

"Don't do anything," Sansa whispered. "Please. He'll…"

"He will do nothing," Ned promised. He pulled Sansa to him for a hug and felt her cry into his chest. "I swear it Sansa. You will not see that boy again, are we clear?" Sansa nodded against his chest and Ned kissed her head.

"I know we have been cold toward you lately because of what happened to Arya," he said quietly. "But you are as much our daughter as she is and we love you. Why did you not come to us straight away?"

"He…he told me he would leak videos of Margaery and Jeyne," Sansa whispered. "I couldn't betray them…I don't want to ever betray anyone again." Ned sighed and released her. "I'll tell Robert about what Joffrey has done to you first thing in the morning," he said softly. "Go get something to eat and relax. You're safe and he will never come near you again." Sansa nodded, more relieved than she thought she would feel. "How long has he been doing this to you?"

"A month," Sansa said. Ned and Catelyn both felt the same – that they had let down another of their children.

"Go on," Ned told her and Sansa left.

"That's three," Catelyn whispered. "First Jon, then Arya, now Sansa."

"I know," Ned said heavily. He kissed Catelyn' head, lost as to what to do.

….

Arya Stark. The name sent a shiver through him. This last month at the Home had been brightened by her presence and he knew, just knew in the depths of his soul that they were meant to be together. He had been watching her: eating, walking along the grounds with her friends, talking to the counsellor…

At the thought of her counsellor, Ramsay was filled with an all-consuming rage. That counsellor…Ramsay knew Arya was starting to fall for Gendry Waters' charms and it was only a matter of time…unless he got there first. Ramsay had never felt this way about anyone before…except the last girl who had landed him in this hellhole. He supposed he should be thankful to Becky…without her, he would never have met Arya Stark, would never have gotten the chance he had with her. He saw it in her eyes…the slight fear and it turned him on. There was nothing like a hot, scared girl to get his blood pumping and Arya, with her long dark tresses and her dark grey eyes the colour of a pre-dawn morning…he grew hard just thinking about them.

He was sitting in a tree and was about to climb down when he saw the beauty that had captured his mind walking with said counsellor. They were strolling side by side, talking about something Ramsay desperately wanted to know. He saw the looks Waters was giving to Arya and his anger increased. Something had to be done about him so he and Arya could be together with no threat.

Ramsay wait and saw they stopped right under the tree and he shrank back so they wouldn't see him.

"You're sure you can handle something like this?" Gendry asked.

"I'm sure," Arya replied quietly. "I've felt it for the last month." Ramsay's anger reached an all-new level when Gendry gripped Arya's arm.

"I'll be here for you, day or night," he murmured. "You're not alone Arya, remember that." Arya smiled at him and he released her arm, both of them walking away from the tree.

Ramsay glared after the two of them. Yes, he thought. Waters definitely needed to be out of the way.

**A/N: Just a really quick filler chapter for today guys. Arya and Gendry's full conversation will be in the next chapter.  
>So a month has passed since Arya was admitted into the Home and we have had a glimpse into the life of Sansa, whereupon Cat and Ned discover Joffrey has been abusing her. Ned's confrontation will be in the next chapter as well.<br>And Ramsay…what a dickwad. I was thinking of what to do with him and this seems to fit the most. So he's been watching Arya for a while and he's starting to get dangerous thoughts.  
>Sansa, Ned, Catelyn, Robb, Theon and Arya will have a meeting in the next chapter or the chapter after that. Ned and Cat discovered the truth about Sansa the night before they were going to the Home (yes I nicknamed it that) so they rescheduled a visit through Varys for the following week.<br>Sorry about the quick chapter, until next time :)**


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